[Review] Takane & Hana, Vol. 4 - Yuki Shiwasu

Summary: A strong-willed high school girl and a hot, young scion of a business empire can’t help wanting to outwit each other every chance they get… But could these opposites be conning themselves out of the perfect match?!

After her older sister refuses to go to an arranged marriage meeting with Takane Saibara, the heir to a vast business fortune, high schooler Hana Nonomura agrees to be her stand-in to save face for the family. But when Takane and Hana pair up, get ready for some sparks to fly between these two utter opposites!

Summer’s out, but Takane is so busy with work that he doesn’t have much time to spend with Hana! Enter Takane’s new assistant, Eiji Kirigasaki, an efficient helper who gains Takane’s trust and allows Takane to have more free time. Despite all the support he’s providing, however, Kirigasaki might have an ulterior motive that could lead to Takane’s downfall! (Pub Date: August 7, 2018)

This manga has definitely kept me interested. But this wasn't that good a volume.

This time, the characters are back from their little vacations and Hana prepares for the school event. Takane says he's going but, meanwhile, someone starts investigating the two of them. Will Hana give up on their relationship, whatever you may call it?

I think this volume was basically what the manga had avoided all along: being 100% cliche. Most of the jokes also fell in the category. It was still entertaining but it has been better before and you start wondering if the author has lost her touch.

On the bright side, whatever had gotten on my nerves here went by fast enough and it's already over. So I'm hopeful about the next volume. Especially because this felt like those silly fillers you see in animes before that important arc. Just guessing, since the cliffhanger gave me nothing to think that.

That said, I'm still falling in love with all the characters. Luciano and Okamoto's relationship in special piques my interest. Not in a boys-love way, though I wouldn't mind, but I can't help thinking where this will lead. And Hana's friends! There was this joke when Takane sees them in one of the final chapters in the volume, I hope you'll laugh as hard as I did.

So, yes, still fun. Also, I still haven't gotten tired of how undefined Hana and Takane's "arrangement" is. I love it, to be honest. Let's hope for a better volume 5 now!

Honest review based on an ARC provided by Edelweiss. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Rating: 3 out of 5.